Ancient Treasure Unearthed in Transylvania
- Editor OGN Daily
- 11 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Two men with metal detectors have discovered a trove of ancient treasure in Transylvania, which shed new light on early settlements in the storied historical region.
Encompassing much of present-day Romania, Transylvania is known for its medieval towns, Gothic architecture and, of course, vampires. This vampiric folklore, with a mythical reputation, is tied to Bram Stoker's fictional character Dracula and his real-life inspiration, the notorious 15th-century ruler Vlad the Impaler.
The treasure unearthed this spring in the Transylvanian town of Breaza dates back much farther than the ghastly Vlad's reign. In an announcement last week, officials in Breaza said the metal detectorists found jewelry that originally belonged to Dacian people, who inhabited what is now Transylvania and some of its surrounding areas from around the 1st century B.C.E. until the 1st century of the common era.
The Dacians were an ancient Indo-European people who inhabited an area near the Carpathian Mountains and west of the Black Sea. They are often considered a subgroup of the Thracians. Dacia was eventually conquered by the Roman Empire.
Silver brooches and a bracelet decorated with plant motifs were among the artifacts discovered, in addition to a chain necklace and a belt constructed out of circular metallic pendants, each marked with solar symbols.
Officials in Breaza said the silver pieces were likely worn by a Dacian aristocrat, citing its lavishness as a signal of its owner's status. The discovery of the treasure is important as there are no previous records of Dacian settlements in this part of Transylvania, and it is therefore the first physical evidence of Dacian people living around Breaza.
Officials say the next step is for archaeologists and researchers to begin to explore the area in hopes of finding remnants of a settlement where the owner of the jewels may have lived.
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